There are two very different types of people in our industry and you can tell them apart by the way they view the world, the economy, and their prospects for success. The first view follows this line of thought: "Business can be a struggle. There are not enough good temp and perm candidates out there. Clients are making unreasonable demands and are not realistic regarding price and the qualifications they are seeking. When these clients are presented with good people, they drag their feet and end up losing them as a result."

The second and completely opposite viewpoint is one of prosperity and increasing success. These people rave about how well they are doing and back their claims with credible numbers and statistics. They report that sales are up and project that those figures will continue to climb. They have ambitious plans for growth and their winning point of view shows in the bottom line.

You may think that these people work in different markets or niches. That would explain a lot...if it were the case. But these opposite viewpoints come from people in the same markets and cities. In fact, this difference in attitude is not limited to just the staffing and recruiting industry. Simultaneous successes and struggles also exist in technology, finance, engineering, banking, manufacturing, healthcare, legal, and administration.

So which view of the world reflects reality? Actually, both. How you view the world becomes your reality. But learning to break out of slumps and to prosper is something you can learn and then choose to make happen. The fact of the matter is that many highly successful people have chosen to adopt a positive outlook and use it to achieve lofty goals. Here are five of their ideas to help you develop a winning point of view:

Lay off any candidates and clients who are stealing your time.

There are some candidates and clients who, no matter what you do, are not going to turn into a done deal. Yet many people continue to invest hours of time with them, hoping that maybe it will pan out. Trust your gut! The staffing business is not a charity. One of the best things you can do for candidates and clients who are going to fall off anyway is to let them go so you can both get on with your lives. The time you free up can be spent assisting those who really want and need your help.

Remember, your time is valuable. Work only with those people who know and appreciate this. When you respect, protect, and value your time, others will be more likely to do the same.

Do some extras

Competing more effectively may mean doing a few extras. Consider making additional calls each day and making more submissions to clients. Send a few more e-mails and make extra sourcing calls. These extras add up over time. Just think about how these additional activities accumulate over a week or even a month and the results they can bring.

Make a plan, and stick to it!

Regardless of market conditions, one of the biggest culprits of low or stagnant production is poor planning. A commonly heard comment about our business is that you can be busy all day and get absolutely nothing done. This means that you can either let your day run you or you can choose to run your day.

To be more productive, write a detailed plan for tomorrow at the end of each day. Remain flexible with your schedule, but don't let it keep you from getting done what you know must be done. Eliminate as many distractions as possible and only deal with interruptions that will bring you closer to doing a deal or something that is a true emergency.

Upgrade and refresh your skills

It is a common human trait to leave some of our best tools and ideas on the doorstep. From time to time, we need to be reminded of the techniques available to us. Also, it is critical to add to our toolbox to remain competitive as the industry evolves around us.

Options for giving yourself these upgrades can include training programs, brainstorming and role-playing practice sessions with your peers, listening to audio tapes, reading industry literature and books, or any activity that hones your skills, possibly even one that you invent. The key is to do this during the good times as well as the bad. Be consistent!

Create a new reality

Act as if principle has been shared and passed on for years. The premise is that if you act like a success, you will be a success.

We have the ability to create our reality because we live out what we think. If you believe you are going to struggle, you will experience and act out the traits of someone who struggles. If you truly believe you will succeed, your actions and behaviors will be those of someone who plans for and achieves success.

If you have any doubts, look at the research. In his book, Love, Medicine and Miracles, Dr. Bernie Siegel shares the story of a boy who visualized a rocket ship shooting laser beams at the tumor in his head. The boy truly believed that the ship existed and that it had the ability to destroy the tumor. To the surprise of his physicians, the tumor went away. Just imagine if you took such a powerful belief and applied it to your career!

Believe that great things can happen in your business and then back that up with the actions that will get you there. You may even surprise yourself with the results.

The most successful people in our industry have made a choice to be at their level of success. Regardless of the hand they are dealt at any given time, they make the most of it. They stay out of the problem and are always focused on the solution. If you are one of these heavy hitters, congratulations! If you want to join their ranks, it is your choice. Be willing to do what it takes, plan your action, and, as Nike so aptly puts it, Just Do It!

-Scott Wintrip

Scott Wintrip, PCC (scottw@StaffingU.net) is Founder and President of StaffingU, the leader in providing relationship-building techniques guaranteed to grow your business. For information on StaffingU's programs and services, including TeleClasses (live telephone-based classes), Virtual StaffingU (web-based courses), individual and group coaching, on-site training and speaking, and consulting visit www.StaffinU.net or call 866-SU-WORKS (789-6757).